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The following are quotations from
LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick, collected by Rev. Charles Henrickson.
Kieschnick repeatedly explains that the LCMS has changed.
Indeed it has changed. After
Kieschnick’s comments attempting to free the Synod from its past obsession
with pure doctrine, we have C. F. W. Walther’s explanation of church
membership in the LCMS and the absolute need for pure doctrine.
The church "cannot afford to waste time on
incessant internal purification at the expense of the lost in the
world." – Jerry Kieschnick, synodical president.
"We have not the luxury of time and energy spent
on incessant internal purification at the expense of the eternal destiny of
the souls of men and women for whom Christ died, but who know not His name
and have accepted not His saving grace." - Jerry Kieschnick,
synodical president.
"My concern is that we can spend so much time in
incessant internal purification that we do so at the expense of the eternal
destiny of people who are dying every minute." - Jerry Kieschnick,
synodical president.
"People, this is NOT a game.
Our incessant internal purification at the expense of the eternal
destiny of the souls of men and women for whom Christ died must stop!"
- Jerry Kieschnick, synodical president.
"Many say, 'Instead of disputing over doctrine so
much, we should rather be concerned with souls and with leading them to
Christ.' But all who speak in
this way do not really know what they are saying or what they are doing.
As foolish as it would be to scold a farmer for being concerned about
sowing good seed and to demand of him simply to be concerned about a good
harvest, so foolish it is to scold those who are concerned first and
foremost with the doctrine, and to demand of them that they should rather
seek to rescue souls. For just
as the farmer who wants a good crop must first of all be concerned about
good seed, so the church must above all be concerned about right doctrine if
it would
save souls." C. F. W. Walther, synodical president.
Henrickson comments: This is not your grandfather's
synodical president.
What
was our Grand Father’s Church like?
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